Canal Plus, OCS Renew Distribution Deal

OCS, the pay-TV service of French telecom group Orange, has renewed its distribution agreement with Canal Plus Group.

OCS, which boasted 3.3 million subscribers as of June, has been distributed on Canal Plus Group as part of its channels portfolio since 2012.

Through their partnership, Canal Plus Group and OCS have been able to increase the volume of premium content accessible to their respective subscribers. The two companies’ strategic deal is meant to allow both of them to better compete with streaming companies, including Apple TV Plus and Disney Plus, which will soon launch.

Launched in 2009, OCS comprises four channels and has deals with UGC, Sony Pictures Television and HBO. OCS’s current offering of movies and series includes François Ozon’s “By the Grace of God,” the show “The Spy” with Sacha Baron Cohen, Damon Lindelof’s anticipated “Watchmen,” and returning series such as “The Walking Dead” and “Game of Thrones.”

“This agreement strengthens the bond between our two companies and allows us both to attract new subscribers,” said Serge Laroye, the president of OCS.

Frank Cadoret, the managing director of Canal Plus Group in France, said: “Our goal is to aggregate in the same place all the the best premium content available to the largest number of subscribers.”

As it seeks to ramp up subscriptions, Canal Plus Group is also in discussions with Netflix to distribute the streaming service.